Preparation of an alumina-platinumcombined halogen catalyst



By reducing the platinum content of the composite by one-half, for example, the cost of the catalyst is substantially reduced by one-half. As a further illustration of the effect of reducing the platinum content of the catalyst, when the quantity of platinum is reduced to about 0.1% by weight of the composite as against about 5% by Weight, or more, as heretofore required to provide catalysts of comparable activity, it is Y readily apparent that the cost of the catalyst is reduced by .at least 50 times.

In order, however, to obtain improved results with catalysts containing the low concentrations of platinum as herein specified, it is essential that a particular type of supporting component be composited with the platinum. Observations have shown that alumina shows unexpected ad`v vantages as a support for the small quantities of platinum in the ultimate composite, apparently because of some particular chemical or physical The presentA catalyst composites containing 4alumina and platinum may be further improved .in their catalytic activity by compositing the aforementioned components with chemically vcombinedhalogen; that is, halogenin a form capable of producing halide: ions in an aqueous vsolution thereof. It is an integral feature of the present invention, therefore, that the final catalysts contain combined halogen in an amount suicient to promote the catalytic activity of the platinum component. It has been found,as will be,shown in the followinghexamplea `that vthe ,presence ofk combined halogen in specied amountsenhances the catalytic activity of the- 'present platinum containing composite and also rtends to prolong the life of the catalyst. VIt is believed that the V.halogen or halide ion enters into a chemical combination or loose complex `with the. alumina and/ or platinum components to provide the' aforesaid promoting` and stabilizing eiects. l c InA general, any of the halide ions will serve to effect improved results when incorporated into .the alumina-platinum composite to form the vpresent catalyst. The order of preference, however, follows in the order of their increasing atomicnumbers; that is, fluoride ions are preferredrouowed by amende, bromide and iodide lons. Although any of the above halide ions as combined halogen results in the formation of improved platinum-containing catalysts when incorporated therewith, Athey are not'necessarily equivalent in potency or effect.

'In the preparation of the alumina support of 'the' ypresent platinum-containing composite a particularly preferred procedure is to prepare the alumina by adding a suitable alkaline acting re- 4agent, such as ammonium hydroxide, ammonium carbonate, etc. to an aluminum salt, suchv as aluminum chloride, aluminum sulfate, aluminum nitrate, etc., the respectivemeactants being Adesirably commingled and intimately mixed in the form of their aqueous solutions.. The amount of each of the reagentsis calculated to form the 4 stoichiometric quantity of aluminum hydroxide by the reaction of the base and aluminum salt, which upon drying undergoes chemical dehydration to alumina. For the sake of simplicity and convenience, reference to the term alumina in the present specifications and claims Will be intendedto comprehend the hydrated form of alumina, or aluminum hydroxide as well as alumina itself in order that the percentages referred to herein be uniformly based on alumina free of combined water. Aluminum chloride isgenerally preferred as the aluminum salt from which the desired alumina component is prepared, not only for reasons of economy and for convenience in the subsequent washing and filltering procedures, but also because this salt appears to give 'the best results. An alternative method for the preparation of alumina is to re- .alumina filter calce to remove soluble impurities.

The usual Washing procedure' comprises the addition of water tothe alumina, either in combination with iiltration or as individual steps. The mechanical aspects of the ltration of alumina'precipitate is generally improved when the wash water contains va small quantity of dissolved ammonium hydroxide. The extent Ior duration of the washing procedure will generally .depend upon the particular method employed in preparing the catalyst and will determine vthe amount of other extraneous ions'retained in the alumina. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, thealumina is thoroughly washed withfa sufiicientfamount of water, preferably Water containing'ammonium hydroxide, to reduce the chlorine content of 'the' alumina to belowV about 0.1%. Accordingto another embodiment of the invention, a selective washing procedure may be employed for the purpose of retaining chloride ions in an amount of from about A0.2%.to1 about 1% by weigth of the alumina on a dry basis. In the latter method of preparing the catalyst, or more specically, the aluminacombined halogen composite, chloride ions are obtained from theoriginal aluminum chloride and are retained by thevalumina in the product, thus avoiding the necessity of adding the halide ions n a later step 0f catalystjpreparation. In general, however, itV is diicult to control the washing technique to retain the desired amount of halide ion and, for' this reason, the preferred procedure comprises washing the alumina toremove substantially yall or" the chloride ions and thereafter addingthe combined halogen as halide ionsin a controlled amount. The addition of the combined halogen in this ,manner permits more rigorous control of the amount -cf :halide ions being added. Iny another embodiment,l of the invention, the'washing procedure may be selec- .tive to retain the chloride ions in an amount constituting a portion of the total .combined halogen desired, and subsequently vadding the remaining portion, or the final desired halide ion content. In this method, thev halide ion may comprise the same. halide' or an admixtureyfoftwo ldifferent rlfalidessiasiorxexample;combined :chlorine and -uorine l r frnfsomecasesiitrmay bei desirable rtocomrningle .1an organic acid;- =.particg.ilarly:: acetic` acid, `VVwith thefaiumina or. alumina-combined.halogenfcomvfpositeffor :the 'F.desirable eiecti :thatesuchtacids have on` the catalyst, aespeciallyits. ultimatez'acl-tvity. vThe aceticiacid Aapparently.'serves .to/.pep-

tize the alumina.andthereby renders'it'in' better condition 'for 'compositing lwith'lthe platinum, landy alsolpartly' flxesthe: platinum inthe-alumina -so=lthat migration of `the platinum;durii'igsthe Vsubsequent heating l.stage L'in the rpreparationof .the catalystfis'minimized. AVThe amount of acetic lacid, 4when emplcyedf-Will generally be 1 v'within the rangeof-"fromlabout 0.05 to'rf'about 0;5- m^ol thereof-per-mol'of aluminatreated. Y

#Alumina 'Alprepared '-in accordance with :the aboveprocedure; after `completion of: thefwashing and fltering `'stepspis fgenerally-recoveredas a 'wet cakewhichmay Ythen beJfs'tir-redewithwater ito form\ a slurry and-reserved in` this Vvcondition for subsequent'treatment. When the -halide'ion is to'fbe added-separately, it is preferably vdone .at this stage of 'the catalyst preparation, that-is, before the platinum component is' Vcomposited lwithfthev alumina. ',Althou'ghf generally Ispeaking, any'suitablev procedure -may' be `eniployed for incorporating the halide ion or combinedhalogen with the" alumina, Vthe combined :halogen must be 'fin' such' form'thatdt 'will "readilyrreact `with alumina to 'form V'the desired-alumina-combined y'halogen lcomposite and,'"'further, must nnot -vleave undesired extraneousdeposits on or 'within the body of "then catalyst. The v'preer-re'dmethod' 'of introducing 'fthe mcombined halogen into the alumina" support is-'in"the' 'form "oft the corresponding "hydrohalide #or -anraqueousrsolution thereof; l that is, 'the hydroha'lidvacids. 'Hydrogen :iuoride` is" preferably" added as the acid" for `ease-in handling andV` for Jcontrolof'thespecific amount addedu to the alumina. i Another lsatis- 'factorywmethod of Aintroducing-the vcombined halogen finto theA- alumina supportusby adding the Y--halide as` the `volatile salts thereof su'ch'as ammonium fluoride, ammonium chloride, s etc. Ammonia 'willibe Vremoved during the subsequent heating of' the `catalyst, and vtliereforef-Will"not `leave-undesirable deposits'within the catalyst. nt'stillv another-method,'"the halogenits'elf' may begad'ded as elemental fluorinav "cl'rlOrmEbrQmine, or fic'ndne.` but because ofv` the normallyjgaseous physical state of fiuori-he-landchlorine, Lit' isjigenerallypreferable to utilize them in thefforrri-l of their "solutions l'in a suitable 1 solvent 'for i easy handling. lnsome caseswhere the inclusionof extraneous components-Will V'not bev harmful-*to the catalyticactivityofthe-compositethehalogen mayV be added 'in the-formof some'othersal-ts; The amount of Acombined 'halogen' inl the iinis'hed '-catalystis/maintainedf-witliin the -range of from about f0.1 to'about '58% by Ly'v/'eighi'-of the alumina ona dry basis.' The liluoricle' ion'-i appear-sf' to 'be somewhat Amore`activethan other members of thehalide'groupand; therefore,'=may vbe present in a lower concentration, Withinl the of VV.the .i aluminaV .on '-a dry'ibasis Thiel-amount Y onvrithe: other hand concentrationsfiofzrhalosen tabove;:thexspecied upperlimits reduceslgthea'ee- .lectivity Vof the catalyst :forrthe desired reactions, .usually "catalyzing :other: reactions i :notparticu- :larly :desired in the-conversion contemplated. y

When the alumina:.andifhalogen-rcomponents have: been satisfactorily. -compositedsor otherw-ise prepared' inintimate' association -withseach other, the platinum component,is''introduceduintozfthe -catalysti in' accordance: with .the method herein fspecied. .'Thei platinum Vcomponent ofxthercata- 'lyst'fisjl desirably y:incorporated into the: aluminacombinedlhalogen"compositezas'platinumlfsulfide .particles Uwhich, Whenl' subsequently rcalcned.'

undergochemical'n reductionstos form'' platinum. It has been observed'that1byr'effectingthepre- 'cipitation' of'i platinum sulfide 'from'ia' solutionfof a'fyvater soluble platinumcompoundiissolvedfin -an aqueoussolution 'of :a vwater miscible'forganic solvent, Vsuch .vas ethyl alcohol,'the 1 precipitated platinum -suliide is'v much more nely divided:- and Iforms `a more highlyl active catalyst. Whenffcombined 2in' specified-amounts Awith vthe aluminae combined halogen' `composite thanl 'fa similarly composited platinum catalyst invvhich'thefplatb -numy sulfide was precipitated from"i anfiaqueous Isolution of a' platinum "salt in the'- absencef of ithe organic solvent. The presence 'of' the 7organic solvent in the aqueous 'Y solution7 of v'the' platinum compound is believed 'to'result in -theprecipitation'of smaller crystals-of platinum 'sul'de when',

for example, hydrogen-sulfide "is'ledjinto IYthe solution Yof the platinum compoundto 'fcrm'-the sulde salts 'cr complexes `of lthefplatinumions in solution.` The smaller crystalfs'ize ofthe' insolu;

ble platinum sulfide enables'the :latterfto "pene-f trate into' the' minute "inte'rstices-characterizing the physical structure of ythe alumina-'combined halogen composite or support. 'providingai-catalyst containing a'greater'total' surface area 4available for 'contact' with charging 'stock'in' a 'sub-v sequent catalyzed' reaction involvingtheplatinum-containing catalyst. :The larger platinum sulfide particles or' crystals' formed by 'precipitation from an 'entirely aqueous' 'solutionpf *the Water soluble. 'platinum *compoundere necesi sarily blocked4 from' entering the most minute 'interstitial 'spaces 'in "thealumina-combined halogen support and thus "do'fnotiorm" aj'f'com- ,posite therewith having as :great1"a""sup'eifi'cial`, :catalytically active 'area lavailablefor contact 'with a' charging stock in a" subsequent conversion reaction in which the resulting p'latinumc'on# Vtainingcomposite' is 'utilized 'as' catalyst. y

The quantity'. of 'water miscible' organic 'solvent required" 'in aniaqueous r solution "of the platinum compound toiobtaln the effect "of 'sm-all crystal A'size formation"in the"precipitation"cfmthefplauciflc solvent employed, but; in'gen'ereh the con'- centration of'solvent is' desirably Withinjthe'iange of'from about '20 to' about 95 %"'by1 weight'rofthe 'Water-solvent' solution. Utilizab'le' organic' "solvents' include the low-'molecular'weight alcohols; preferably containingv fewerthanabout 5' carbon atomspenmolecule, 'such .as"'methanol, ethanol, piopanol, 'isopropa'noL etc.; glycols,' such'as'ethf ylene glycol, fpropylene glycol; A `butylerie' "glycol, glycerol',` trimethylene glycol, etc.; glycol ethers, such asA the 'various 'Water soluble'v eth'ers suchas vdioxane'as 'well-as those known4 'ini commerce 'as the cellosolves, including f' lm ethyl, ethyl propyl-A andbutyl'Cellosolve;'thedialkylm cols and theirpartial esters. or their uniform'jand mixed-*etherspsuch asdiethyl'enefglycol andthe aerig'mo .correspondingA Carbitcls thereof; such asrbutyl lCarbitol cyclic others, such' asy dioxane: ketones, such as acetone, ethylmethylketone, etc.; esters, suchas methylandethylformate, methyl-and ethylacetate, etc. If desired, a mixture oforganic solvents maybe utilized, for example, to increase the Water solubility ofone or more organic solvents, suchas a mixture of methanol and butyl acetate in aqueous solution. vThe suspension of iinely divided platinum sulfide utilized for the purpose of admixing with the alumina-combined halogen composite to thereby introduce theplatinum component into `the composite' which upon calcination is convertedto an association of alumina, combined halogenv and platinum, is generally prepared by leading gas,- eous hydrogen sulfide hito a solution of a wate soluble platinum compound,y such `as chloroplatinic acid dissolved in asolution of water 4and said organic solvent.' The quantity of hydrogen sulfide requiredfto convert the platinum -ion to the insoluble platinum sulfide is usually determined by the color of theresulting solution as the hydrogen sulfide is led into the liquid. Upon addition of the hydrogen sulfide gas to the normally light yellow solutionk of chloroplatinic acid at room temperature the color gradually changes to a dark brown. Precipitation of platinum sul- Yfide is complete when the solution attains a constantcoloration and the supernatant liquid Vbecomes relatively clear. Although the precipitate has been designated as Vplatinum sulde, Vthe term is merely used generically to specify the one or more complex platinum compounds containing sulfur which precipitate on the addition of hydrogen sulfide to an aqueous solution of a platinum compound. The sulfuretted hydrogen or its equivalent, as an aqueous solution thereof or a solution of its salts may likewise be utilized to precipitate the platinum sulfide, such as a saturated aqueous solution of hydrogen sulfide or an aqueous solution of ammonium sulfide,l sodium sulfide or other water-soluble sulde salts capable ofdouble decomposition with the water-soluble platinum compound to yield platinum sulfide. In preparing the alumina-combinedhalogen 'and platinum sulfide composite,V the brown coloredaqueous suspension of colloidal platinum suldej is commingled with the slurry of wet alumina 4gelat room temperature and the slurry suilciently stirred to obtain intimate-mixing of the suspended particles which are then dried and calcined. Y Q Although the above described method for man.- ufacturing the catalyst of the present invention is the preferred method, active catalysts can be pre.- pared by combining a slurry of the wet alumina. gel containing the desired quantity of halogen ions with a solution of a water-soluble platinum compound dissolved in a solution of water and of an organic solvent passing hydrogen sulde through the cominingled solution to produce a colloidal platinum sulfide heating the material to remove the excess water, pilling the resulting product, and thereafter calcining the pilled inaterial to produce the iinal catalyst composite.

The preferred catalysts of the present invention contained platinum in an amount of from about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of platinum and in the preparation of the platinum sulfide composite, the quantity of precipitated platinum in suspension is adjusted to obtain a final composite containing the above preferred amount of platinum.

It has been found that the best results are ob-- Vtained when the platinum is Ycomposited with alumina before the alumina is subjectedtosub.- stantial heating.. As the following examples will shoe/a .higher .octane product was obtainedin the use of the catalystina,hydrocarbonreforming operation'when the platinum sulfide was composited with alumina gel as compared to a smaller compositingprocedure in which the alumina had beenpreviously dried and formed into pills.

. Afterthe platinum in proper concentration has been commingled with the alumina, the mixture is preferably dried at a temperature of from about to about 200 C. for a period of from; about 4 to 24 hours or more to form a1cake. In-some cases itis desired v.to prepare the vcatalyst in the form of pills of'unifoim size andshape,` and this may readily be ,aC.Complshed by grinding they partially dried catalyst cake, adding-asuitable lubricant, such as stearic` acid, rosin, hydrogenated coconut oil,- graphite, etc., and then forming into pills in any suitablev pelleting apparatus. Particularly satisfactory pills comprise those of a size ranging from about 1/8" x 1/3( to 1/4 x 1/4 or thereabouts. Pills of uniform size and shape may also be formed by extrusion methods.4 Insome cases it may be desired to utilize the catalyst as powder ofv granules ofirregular size and shape, in which case the plling and extrusion operations maybe omitted. l

'Ifhe catalyst may. now be subjected to lhigh temperature treatment or calcination, and this may be eiected by anyone yof several methods. The preferred method is to Vsubject the catalyst to calcination at a temperature fof from kabout 400 to about 650 C. for a'period of from about 2V to 8 hours or more. Another method is to subject the catalyst to reduction with hydrogen'or a hydrogen-containing gas ata 'temperature-'of from about to about 300 C. for about 4 Vto 12 hours or more, preferably followed by calcination at a Ytemperature. of from about 400 to about 650 C. In still another method the catalyst may be subjected to reduction with hydrogenl or hydrogen-containing gas at Va temperature of from about 400 to about 650 C. for a period of from about 2 to 10 hours-or more.

In some cases the lubricant will be. removed during the high temperature heating. ln other cases, as for example, when graphite is used as the lubricant, lthe separate high temperature heating step may be omitted, and the effective heat treatmentlof the catalyst .may be obtained in the plant before or'during processingrof the hy-L drocarbons. L f f. l.

Although the catalyst of the present invention will have a long life, it may be necessary 4to free generate the catalyst after longperiods of service, The regeneration may be eiected by treatment with air or otheroxygen-containinggas to burn carbonaceous deposits therefrom. `In general; it is preferred to control the regenerationtempera-4 ture not to exceed` about 650V C. Inlsome cases it may be vdesirable to follow the burning opera-4 tion with treatment with hydrogen-containing gas at temperatures of from about 350 to about 600 C. Y j

Thel improved catalyst of the present'invenf tion may be employed in any process -for which platinumis a catalyst.r` The improved Vcatalysts are particularly satisfactory for reforming operations in which a l saturated gasoline, such as straight run gasoline, natural gasoline, etc., is subjected to conversion tor produce a reformed gaso-Y lineof improved antiknock properties: The satu-l rated gasoline generally i comprises :ia Ymixture of aci 1,349.

naphthenicfand ,paranic hydrocarbons .and the reformingoperatinjleffects dehydrogenation of; thenaphthenicl hydrocarbons ,.to. aromatica; cyr clizationsof, jthe. ,paralni'c hydrocarbons.. to *l aromatics; well, as sto eect a.A controlled type of. crackingrtvhichris 'selective :both inquality. and in quantity@v Inrzaddition, otherreactions` mayyocf. cur. such as isornerization-y hydrogen transfer, etc. The` Acontrol-led or ,selective cracking is desirable because' itffurther -increases-;fthe-ioctane *numberv of;thef;reformed gasoline,- produces afgasolinetoflower;,volatility and fconvertshigher Aboiling fractionsrtoylower boiling fractions within .the frange ofasoline-y However, this f crackingfmust be conf tI-'Olled because f. excessive crackingfproduces g AeX cessivej normallyfgaseousfproducts k andalso excessivecarbonaceous.-deposits onthe catalyst `and resultsgin .its deactivation. Thev improved cata.- lysts-zoithe .present inventionarev particularly de; sirableQ. for reforming.. 'operations becausevv` the catalyst. effects.. the I, desired. v'aromatization. and controlled, .cracking-lnder selected conditions' of operation. j f: A, j Y '.Thevrcatalysti of theopesent invention may-also ndfutility in `treatment of higher boiling saturated petroleumjfractons suchas kerosene; gas,` oil? etc. In Yrnanyicases 'it isdesirableH to 4produce ahighlyaro'mati product from kerosene 'useful as a* solvent,^ aI`1 ClA the present Avirivc-intion' is -readily applicable forv thispurpose. l The gasoline,l kerosenefetc; fractions compriseafmixturerof different` hydrocarbons `and,`in accordance-with the in"-A vention;y tliefull? boiling range material or.V any. selectedffractionl thereofv mayfbevsubjectedfto. the desired conversion when a selected fraction is so treated, it may be blended, all or in part, with other fractions.

within.- therange oiiom. about 300? to. about. 60.0.?. C., thel pressurewithinthe range of'from about` 50` toL about A10.0()` pounds Yper squareinch and. .theweighthourly space Velocity within the rang'eof...from about 0,5toA about 10..) For dej-l hyclrogenation of normal butane thejtemperature shouldv be. within the .rangeo from about 4 00"A toaboutllOO? C. the pressure fromY about Tati-L mospheric to. about 50 poundsper. squaregiin'ch andthe gaseoushourly space velocity fromabout zortoabout .5000. For hydrogenation'. reactions the temperature may .range from atmospheric; to about f 2509- C., the i .pressure from. about 100.t0 about f dpounds.. or. more, andthe'L weight hourly., spaceyelocity. from .about .0.5 to' 5.1; y The The catalyst of the present invention may prove particularly useful for destructive'hydrov` genation of hydro-cracking reactionsin which hydrocarbons and particularly oil heavier than` h gasoline is subjected to conversion to produce.`

lower boiling products and particularly gasoline. For cracking reactions, it is preferred that the halogen content of the catalyst bei within. the. upper limits of the ranges hereinbeforeset forthl because these higher halogen catalystsare-more active for effecting decompositionreactions;

cluding the hydrogenation of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, such asvmono-olens, di*- olens, etc., to form the corresponding saturatedl hydrocarbons Y hydrogenation off .unsaturated cyclic hydrocarbons, hydrogenation of 'unsatu-y rated alcohols, ketfanes, acids, etc. Other reactions. in which' these catalysts may/find utilityv include oxidation as,V for example', oxidationof. olens to form the corresponding oleh oXides,` such as the oxidation of'ethylene to .ethyleneoxide; propylene to propyleneo'xide, etc., oxidation of alcohols, ketones, etc.. Theseand other, oxidation reactionsv arefwell'knownin theart, and-itis withinthescopeofjthe present invention .to efectthesefreactions in :the presenceof the. .novel ,catalysts.l In. reactions involving hydrogenation; oxidation or condensatiomit isfpreferred thatthe halogencontent of the catalyst be Within the lowenlimits ofrztheranges hereinbeforezspeciedin-nrder itc. minimize side y reactions: Asisetilforth' above; .selected-..processing 'condi-` tionsfare required depending upon theparticular reactionfdesired;- Forfreformingloifstraight run gasoline`--thetemperature en'cployed'l should"` be.

Weight .ohoil per ,.:hour weight,of.lcatalystin;thc reactionzone* l Inoue. embodiment of` the process`,..suiicient hydrogen will be. produced in;.therefo 'rmin'g iref-3; he process,V and,-; therefore, it. .may be .unnecessary to either-introduce hydrogenfrom anextraneous source or to recyclehydrogen .withinthaprof cess. However, it: usuallyJ Will'be preferred to introduce hydrogen from.. an. extraneous.. source, generally at the beginning-*offtheroperationandv torecycle hydrogen; Withinlthe process-,in ,order to. begassuredof Y arr-suicientf. hydrogen .latinos-g, phererin thenreactionszoner In"sorneQcas'es.tle` gas -to be recycled will contain, hydrogensulde; introduced with thecharge or; liberated..troni.v the-.catalyst` and it ismwithinwthe scopeeof the present invention to treat thelhydrog'enfcontai'rie. ing gas to remove hydrogen sulde'or other iin'- purities before recycling the hydrogen Within the process.

'I'he processcf the present invention may be eiiectedlinnany4 suitable equipment. A particularly suitable vprocessf'comprises thewell known xedfbed system-in which the catalyst is disposeddn a:V reactionY Zone-v and the hydrocarbons to be; treated are passed therethrough inieitherf .upward or downward flown flhefproductsfgare fractionated; to separate hydrogen and `to re.

coven the desirediproducts;` As hereinbefvore` set forth,I the: hydrogen may be recycledfdr;

furtheruse intheprocessr: Otherrsuita'ble units in4v whiclr the Aprocessflmay. be eiected includ'athe iluidizedtypeprocess in which the hydrocarbons. and-f catalystsfsiy are z maintained.. ine. af. state-y of turbulence underhindered:` settlinggconditionsirr The following examples are` introduced-f to: y

furtheraillustrate .the noveltyfandY utility' of :thef presenti` invention but .nottof unduly: limit the same. These examples vare.'comparative,':the data.k was "l obtained. on three f catalysts.;-I designatedas; catalyst A, B 'andrC. Thedata ,presented forithe runs employing catalysts, A .and 1B` rare.. included herein ltoy illustrate. the' enhancement"ingactivitycy resulting from the in'clusionfof specificiamounts:V

filtered material was separated into two batches. Batch 1 was slurried with Water and hydroiiuoric acid added in amounts sufiicient to give a iinal catalyst containing about 0.4w/2J1fluorine-V Batch 2 was also slurried and a larger amount of hydroiiuoric acid added to give a iinal catalyst containing 0.75% iluorine.y Hydrogen suliide was passed into an aqueous solution of platinic chloride to produce a colloidal suspension of platinum sulde. This suspension was added to the slurry of batch 1 and the resulting mixture heated to drive off excess volatile matter. This material was then pilled and the pills calcined. This catalyst was then designated as catalyst A. Catalyst B was prepared in the same manner withthe exception that the slurry employed was t of batch 2 containing the higher concentration of iiuorine. Catalyst C was prepared by passing hydrogen sulfide through a solution of platinic` chloride dissolved in aqueous ethyl alcohol to produce a colloidal suspension of a platinum compound and the colloidal suspension added to the remaining 1/2 portion of the slurry of batch 2. This material was thereafter heated to drive oi the excess moisture, pilled and calcined to produce the final catalyst composite designated as catalyst C.

The following results were obtained upon reiorming Mid-Continent naphtha fraction having a boiling range of 182 to about 400 F. The reforming operation was conducted under a pressure Vof 500 pounds per square inch gauge and a 3:1 hydrogen hydrocarbon ratio and a liquid space velocity of 2.

2. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said organic solvent is an alcohol containingfewer than 5 carbon atoms per molecule.

3. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said organic solvent is ethyl alcohol.

4. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said halogen is combined uorine.

5. A process for preparing an aluminacombined halogen-platinum composite catalyst, wherein the platinum component thereof is evenly distributed in a finely divided form on the exposed superiicial area of the alumina-combined halogen support which comprises precipitating alumina from an aqueous solution of a Water soluble aluminum salt, admixing said alumina with from about 0.1% to about 8% by weight of combined halogen in the form of an aqueous solution of a water soluble compound contain-v ing combined halogen, recovering the resulting alumina containing said combined halogen, commingling the resulting composite with an'aqueous organic solvent suspension of precipitated iinely divided platinum sulfide formed by adding a suliiding agent to a solution of a water soluble platinum compound in an aqueous solution containing from about 20 to about 95% by weight of an organic solvent miscible in water, said platinum suliide being in an amount to form a iinal catalyst containing from about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of platinum, recovering the resulting composite containing alumina, combined halogen and platinum sullide'and heating said composite at a temperature of from about 400 Table Catalyst A Catalyst B Catalyst C Example lst 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd lst 2nd 3rd Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Composition on basis of input, `percent by weight: 1303-...1 99.33 98. 95 98. 95 Q [1.30 0.30 0.30 F 0.37 1 0.75 0.75 Yield, Volume Percent of Charge 92.0 92.7 93.1 92.4 92.9 92.9 92.0 92.1 02.5 Octane Number:

`F2C1er 34.6 68.2 68.0 68.0 74.4 74.4 74.0 77.6 76.9 77,6 l F-2-i-3 cc. TEL/Gral..I 59.1 8l.8 86.0 86.6 F-1Clear-..- 34.8 74.4 74.7 74.1 81.0 81.0 80.8 85.7 85.3 85.4 F1+3 cc. TEL/Gal 60.3 88.1 88.2 91.4 91.5 95.0 94.7 Percent Aromatics in product based ou Charge 7.0 447 41.3 42.1 46.1 43.2 43.3 44.9 45.0 45.0 lercent Boiling below 212 F.

based on total liquid product.-- 3.0 10.5 11.5 11.5 19.0 21.0 21.0 27.0 28.5 28.5

lI claim as my invention:

1. A process for preparing a supported platinum catalyst wherein the platinum component thereof is evenly distributed in a finely divided form on the exposed superficial area `of the support whichcomprises compositing from about 0.1% to about 8% by weight of combined halogen with alumina by admixing the alumina with an aqueous solution of a water-soluble halogen compound, thereby forming a halogen-containing alumina support, precipitating colloidal platinum sulfide by adding a sulding agent to a solution of .a water soluble platinum compound in an aqueous solution containing from about 20 to about 95% of a Water soluble organic solvent, compositing said platinum sulde with said halogen containing alumina support in an amount to form a final catalyst containing from about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of platinum, and thereafter calcining the resulting support containing said platinum sulfide at a temperature of from about 400 to about 650 C.

vto about 650 C. to calcine the components thereof.

6. The process of claim 5 further characterized in that said water soluble compound containing combined halogen is hydroiiuoric acid. f

7. A method of preparing a catalyst which comprises precipitating alumina from an aqueous solution of aluminum chloride, washing the recovered alumina with water containing ammonium hydroxide to remove chloride ions to below about 0.1% by weight of said alumina, adding thereto a solution of hydrouoric acid in an amount to form a final catalyst composite containing from about 0.1 to about 3% by weight of combined fiuorine, based on said alumina, separately precipitating colloidal platinum suliide from a solution of a water soluble platinum compound in an aqueous solution containing from about 20 to about 95% by weight of a water soluble organic solvent by commingling said solution of water soluble platinum compound with hydrogen sulde, admixing resulting suspension of finely divided platinum sulde with said previously formed alumina containing combined fluorine wherein the amount of platinum sulfide is sufcient to result in a iinal catalyst containing from about 0.01% to about 1% by Weight of platinum, recovering the resulting composite of alumina, combined halogen and platinum sulfide and thereafter heating the composite to a temperature of from about 400 to about 650 C.

8. In a method of catalyst manufacture wherein a platinum compound is composited with alumina and combined halogen and the resultant mixture ealcined, the improvement which comprises precipitating said compound as colloidal platinum sulfide by adding a sulfiding agent to a solution of a Water soluble platinum compound in an aqueous solution containing from about 20 to about 95% of a Water soluble organic solvent.

9. The improvement of claim 8 further characterized in that said organic solvent comprises ethyl alcohol.

l0. A process for preparing a catalyst which comprises commingling with alumina an aqueous solution of a hydrogen halide in an amount to composite from about 0.1% to about 8% by 2 weight of halogen with the alumina on a dry basis, adding hydrogen sulde to a solution of a water soluble platinum compound in an aqueous solution containing from about 20 to about 95% of a water soluble organic solvent to precipitate colloidal platinum sulde, compositing said platinum sulfide with said alumina in an amount to form a final catalyst containing from about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of platinum, and calcining the resultant composite at a temperature of from about 400 to about 650 C.

11. The process of claim 10 further characterized in that said aqueous solution of a hydrogen halide is hydroiluoric acid.

12. The improvement oi claim 8 further characterized in that said sulding agent comprises hydrogen sulfide.

VLADIMIR HAENSEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references vare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 612,614 Porter Oct. 18, 1898 2,005,412 Connolly et al June 18, 1935 2,194,186 Pier et al Mar. 19, 1940 

1. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A SUPPORTED PLATINUM CATALYST WHEREIN THE PLATINUM COMPONENT THEREOF IS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED IN A FINELY DIVIDED FORM ON THE EXPOSED SUPERFICIAL AREA OF THE SUPPORT WHICH COMPRISES COMPOSISTING FROM ABOUT 0.1% TO ABOUT 8% BY WEIGHT OF COMBINED HALOGEN WITH ALUMINA BY ADMIXING THE ALUMINA WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A WATER-SOLUBLE HALOGEN COMPOUND, THEREBY FORMING A HALOGEN-CONTAINING ALUMINA SUPPORT, PRECIPITATING COLLOIDAL PLATINUM SULFIDE BY ADDING A SULFIDING AGENT TO A SOLUTION OF A WATER SOLUBLE PLATINUM COMPOUND IN AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 20 TO ABOUT 95% OF A WATER SOLUBLE ORGANIC SOLVENT, COMPOSITING SAID PLATINUM SULFIDE WITH SAID HALOGEN CONTAINING ALUMINA SUPPORT IN AN AMOUNT TO FORM A FINAL CATALYST CONTAINING FROM ABOUT 0.01% LTO ABOUT 1% BY WIEGHT OF PLATINUM, AND THEREAFTER CALCINING THE RESULTING SUPPORT CONTAINING SAID PLATINUM SULFIDE AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 400* TO ABOUT 650* C. 